Method and device for the production of tubular structural components

ABSTRACT

A method for producing a tubular structural component and device for production thereof are disclosed. A tubular moulding tool has an inner mould surface shaped corresponding to an outer surface of the structural component. A support surface of an expandable support, formed corresponding to the moulding tool shape such that in an unexpanded state the support fills the moulding tool while the support surface and the mould surface run parallel leaving an expansion spacing of the support surface to the mould surface, is covered with a tubular non-crimp fibre fabric, such that fibres of a fibre layer of the non-crimp fibre fabric run diagonally around the support. After the support has been arranged in the moulding tool, the non-crimp fibre fabric is pressed against the mould surface by expanding the support with radial expansion of the non-crimp fibre fabric. The non-crimp fibre fabric is infiltrated by a curable matrix.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional patent application of and claimspriority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/285,704, filed May 23,2014, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/794,487 filed Jun. 10, 2010, which is a continuation ofPCT/EP2008/065355 which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/007,492, filed Dec. 13, 2007 and German PatentApplication No. 10 2007 060 029.3, filed Dec. 13, 2007, the entiredisclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method and a device for theproduction of a tubular structural component, in particular a fuselagebarrel section of an aircraft or spacecraft.

Although the present invention and the problem on which it is based canbe applied to any tubular structural components with any cross-sectionalshapes, they will be described in detail in respect of the production offuselage barrel sections of aircraft.

In the construction of aircraft fuselage, particularly for commercialaircraft, it is usual to prefabricate tubular or barrel-shaped fuselagesections individually and to assemble them into the finished fuselage ina subsequent final assembly. Materials which are used to an increasingextent are fibre composite materials, for example carbon fibrereinforced plastics materials (CFRP) which make it possible to achieve ahigh stability of the sections with a relatively low weight.

A fuselage barrel section based on fibre composite materials is producedaccording to a conventional method using a winding body as a positivemould, onto which layers of a fibre material pre-impregnated with aresin matrix (prepreg) are wound and subsequently cured, for example bya heat treatment. The fibre placement or winding procedure is verytime-intensive due to the size of the component and to different fibredirections of the prepreg layers.

Since it is possible for slight differences in diameter of adjacentfuselage barrel sections to impede the final assembly, the winding bodyhas to have a high dimensional accuracy and must not expand any furtherafter the fibre placement procedure, for example during a heattreatment. At the same time, it is necessary to configure the windingbody such that it can be split or collapsed, so that after the curingprocedure, it can be contracted inwards by splitting or collapsing andcan be removed from the fuselage barrel section. The provision of awinding body which combines these characteristics is associated withhigh costs.

In order to obtain a fuselage barrel section which has a smooth outersurface and correspondingly advantageous aerodynamic characteristics,pressure sheets are also applied for the curing procedure. In this case,there must not be any auxiliary material, for example tear-off orventilation fabric between the pressure sheet and prepreg layers as thiswould result in a rough surface of the fuselage barrel section. Ingeneral, it is not possible to remove excess resin or air from the spacebetween the winding body and the pressure sheets. However, an inadequateremoval of resin or air results in porous and thus low-qualitycomponents.

Further problems are caused in that the thickness of the prepreg layersis reduced during the curing procedure by the so-called setting path,which is to be considered during shaping and when the pressure sheetsare pressed on. However, the setting path of the prepreg material canvary as a function of the material charge and thus, for example whenthere is a charge with a relatively long setting path, this can giverise to porosity. Since the internal diameter of the fuselage barrelsection is predetermined in a fixed manner by the external diameter ofthe winding body, the external diameter of the fuselage barrel sectionis reduced during the gradual setting of the prepreg interlaid scrim.Consequently, the prepreg layers are pushed together in the peripheraldirection of the section, which readily results in an undesirablewaviness of the fibres.

SUMMARY

It is therefore the object of the present invention to achieve a highquality at a low cost when tubular structural components and inparticular fuselage barrel sections are produced.

The idea on which the present invention is based is to use for theproduction of the structural component a moulding tool which is alsotubular and is configured as a negative mould, i.e. it has an innermould surface which is a negative of the outer surface to be formed ofthe structural component. The term “tubular” as used herein is notrestricted to tubes with a circular cross section, but explicitlyincludes tubes with elliptical, rectangular or other randomly shapedcross sections, in which case the cross section does not need to beconstant over the length of the tubes, but can be narrowed, widened orshaped in another way.

In order to arrange non-crimp fibre fabrics on the inner surface of themoulding tool, a support is also provided which can be expanded, inother words can be selectively brought at least into an expanded and anunexpanded state. In the unexpanded state, the shape of the support issmaller than the space described by the inner surface of the mouldingtool such that the support can be arranged in this state inside themoulding tool. In so doing, there remains between the inner surface ofthe moulding tool and an outer surface of the support a minimum spacingwhich is termed here the expansion spacing.

The outer surface of the support which opposes the inner surface of themoulding tool when the support is arranged in the moulding tool servesas a support surface which supports the non-crimp fibre fabric to beprocessed during the production process. The non-crimp fibre fabric isprovided in tubular form and arranged on the support surface such thatthe support surface is covered by the tubular non-crimp fibre fabric.For example, the tubular non-crimp fibre fabric is pulled over thesupport while the support, in the unexpanded state, is freely accessibleoutside the moulding tool.

The support is then arranged in the moulding tool such that the supportsurface covered by the tubular non-crimp fibre fabric is opposite theinner surface of the moulding tool, the expansion spacing which isreduced by the thickness of the non-crimp fibre fabric remaining betweenthe non-crimp fibre fabric and the inner surface. The support is thenexpanded, as a result of which this remaining spacing is shrunk to zeroand the non-crimp fibre fabric is pressed against the inner surface ofthe moulding tool by the support surface of the expanded support. In afinal step, the non-crimp fibre fabric held between the support surfaceand the inner surface of the moulding tool is infiltrated by a curablematrix.

The use of a negative mould which reproduces the outer contour of thefuselage barrel section makes it possible to observe the desiredexternal dimensions with a high degree of accuracy. The moulding toolcan be configured without a considerable constructive expense in onepiece or in a simple manner such that it can be opened outwards or canbe disassembled. The setup of the non-crimp fibre fabric on the support,regardless of the moulding tool and curing tool, makes it possible toprovide a plurality of supports suitable for a given moulding tool andto alternately charge one of the supports with non-crimp fibre fabricoutside the moulding tool, while another support is located in themoulding tool for curing. In this manner, it is possible to use themoulding tool and, if appropriate, a curing station in a continuousmanner, which reduces the production costs and shortens dead time.

The use of non-crimp fibre fabric which is infiltrated by a separatelyprovided matrix affords further advantages in terms of time and greaterfreedom in the construction of the structural components which have beenproduced compared to the conventional use of prepregs. Fibre undulationsare prevented due to the fact that the non-crimp fibre fabric isstretched by the expansion of the support in the peripheral direction.

According to a preferred development, the expansion spacing is between 1and 10 cm, for example approximately 5 cm. With such a spacing,sufficient clearance remains between the support surface and the innersurface of the moulding tool in order to move the support into and outof the moulding tool in a particularly fast and contact-free manner,while on the other hand the tubular non-crimp fibre fabric is preventedfrom being overstretched during the expanding procedure.

According to a preferred development, the support surface is coveredsuch that fibres of a fibre layer of the non-crimp fibre fabric rundiagonally around the support. This advantageously allows the tubularnon-crimp fibre fabric to expand radially, the angle of inclination ofthe fibres changing without the fibres being overstretched in theirlongitudinal direction. After the support has been covered, the tubularnon-crimp fibre fabric is preferably longer than the structuralcomponent, such that when the support is expanded radially, thenon-crimp fibre fabric is able to contract in its longitudinaldirection, while still completely covering the support surface.

According to a preferred development, the support comprises a pressuremembrane, the support being expanded by the production of a pressuredifferential between an inner region of the support and an intermediateregion between the pressure membrane and the moulding tool. The pressuremembrane exerts on the tubular non-crimp fibre fabric a uniform contactpressure which can be precisely adjusted by the pressure differential,over the entire inner surface of the tubular moulding tool, which allowsa particularly uniform shaping of the wall of the structural component.

To produce the pressure differential, the pressure in the inner regionof the support is preferably increased above atmospheric pressure.Suitable compression devices can be accommodated inside the support, sothat when the support is arranged in the moulding tool, the support canbe expanded without sealing off the intermediate region, for example.Alternatively or in addition, to produce the pressure differential, thepressure in the intermediate region between the pressure membrane andthe moulding tool is decreased below atmospheric pressure. This allowsthe inner region to be made accessible, for example for inspectionpurposes. The pressure membrane does not need to be configured for highabsolute pressures.

According to a preferred development, a step is furthermore provided forarranging a reinforcing element between the support surface and thenon-crimp fibre fabric. This makes it possible to connect thereinforcing element, for example a stringer, to be connected to thestructural component in a single operation with the production of thestructural component. The reinforcing element is preferably guided in atleast one guide slot which runs in a radial direction of the tubularmoulding tool, while the support is being expanded. The reinforcingelement is thus guided precisely into the desired connecting positionwithout tilting.

According to a preferred development, the reinforcing element isarranged between the support surface and the non-crimp fibre fabric as apre-impregnated or non-impregnated semi-finished fibre product. Thereinforcing element is connected by jointly infiltrating the reinforcingelement and the wall of the tubular structural component and by a jointcuring process.

According to another preferred development, the reinforcing element isarranged between the support surface and the non-crimp fibre fabric as apre-cured semi-finished fibre product. This allows the co-bonding of thereinforcing element with the wall of the tubular structural component,in which case for example the curable matrix with which the tubularnon-crimp fibre fabric is infiltrated, acts as an adhesive.

According to a preferred development, the reinforcing element isarranged in a correspondingly configured recess in the support surface.This facilitates the charging of the support with the reinforcingelement.

According to a preferred development, a placeholder is arranged in acavity between the reinforcing element and the tubular non-crimp fibrefabric. During the curing procedure when the reinforcing element issubjected to the mutual pressure of the support surface and the innersurface of the moulding tool, this placeholder keeps the desired cavityof the reinforcing element free. The placeholder preferably has amembrane sheath, in which case a step is furthermore provided forexpanding the placeholder by increasing a pressure in the membranesheath. A placeholder which can be expanded in this manner can becontracted again after the curing procedure and can therefore be easilyremoved.

According to a preferred development of the device according to theinvention, at least one guide cover is provided for positioning on atleast one end of the moulding tool ad/or of the support. The guide coverhas a guide slot which runs in a radial direction of the tubularmoulding tool and is to guide the reinforcing element. During theexpansion of the support, the guiding slot guides the reinforcingelement precisely in a radial direction into the desired position on theinside of the structural component, irrespective of the shape of thereinforcing element and the shape of the support surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following, the invention is described in detail on the basis ofembodiments with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawings.

FIG. 1A-C are schematic perspective views of a device for the productionof a fuselage barrel section of an aircraft according to a firstembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2A-G are cross-sectional views of details of a device according toa second embodiment during the production of a tubular structuralcomponent; and

FIG. 3A-D are cross-sectional views of details of a device according toa third embodiment during the production of a tubular structuralcomponent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the figures, the same reference numerals denote the same orfunctionally identical components, unless indicated otherwise.

FIG. 1A to 1C are three schematic perspective views of a device for theproduction of a fuselage barrel section of an aircraft, each of thethree figures showing different steps of a production method. Thefuselage barrel section to be produced is approximately in the shape ofa cylinder barrel, the cross section typically differing from the idealcircular shape and changing over the length of the section.

FIG. 1A shows a tubular moulding tool 102 with an inner surface 106which is shaped corresponding to the desired shape of the outer surfaceof the fuselage barrel section to be produced. The moulding tool 102 isa so-called negative mould, because its inner surface 106 forms anegative shape for the outer surface of the fuselage barrel section.Next to the moulding tool 102 is a support 110 for supporting a tubularnon-crimp fibre fabric 114.

The support 110 is of an approximately cylindrical shape, havingapproximately the same length as the moulding tool 102 and an externaldiameter which is slightly smaller than the internal diameter of themoulding tool. Consequently, it can be arranged both inside and outsidethe moulding tool 102. The support 110 comprises an inner frame whichdefines the illustrated shape and its lateral surface 108 is covered bya resilient pressure membrane which separates an inner region of thesupport from the outside in a pressure-tight manner. For the simple,contact-free insertion of the support inside the moulding tool, thesupport and/or the moulding tool can be provided with rollers forexample (not shown).

The surface of the pressure membrane arranged around the lateral surface108 of the approximately cylindrical support 110 forms a support surface108 which supports the tubular non-crimp fibre fabric 114 during theproduction of the fuselage barrel section. At the start of theproduction method, the support 110 is arranged outside the moulding tool102. The tubular non-crimp fibre fabric 114 is cut to size and drawnover the support 110 until it completely covers the support surface 108.The non-crimp fibre fabric 114 used is for example a non-woven fabricsuch as for example a so-called NCF (non-crimped fabric) consisting ofcarbon fibres or other suitable fibres, which may be reinforced locallyaccording to constructive details of the fuselage section to beproduced. The non-crimp fibre fabric 114 comprises a plurality of fibrelayers of different orientations in which the fibres 116 run diagonally,as shown by way of example, i.e. spirally around the periphery of thesupport 110. In further fibre layers (not shown), fibres run at otherinclination angles diagonally or parallel to the longitudinal directionof the support 110.

The length 118 of the cut tubular non-crimp fibre fabric 114 is greaterthan the length of the support 110 and of the moulding tool 102, suchthat the non-crimp fibre fabric 114 not only covers the support surface108 of the support 110, but projects beyond the support 110 at both endsthereof.

FIG. 1B shows a subsequent step of the production method in which thesupport 110 covered by the non-crimp fibre fabric 114 has been movedinto the moulding tool 102. Since the diameter of the support 110 issmaller than the internal diameter of the moulding tool 102, the support110 fits into the moulding tool 102 without the support surface 108contacting the inner surface 106 of the moulding tool. Instead, thesupport surface 108 and the inner surface 106 of the moulding tool 102run approximately parallel, a minimum spacing 112 of, for example 5-10cm remaining at any point between them. The non-crimp fibre fabric 114covering the support surface 108 projects at both ends out of themoulding tool 102 due to its length 118.

FIG. 1C shows a further step of the production method in which acompressor 205 has produced an excess pressure in the inner region ofthe support 110. The pressure membrane, forming the support surface, ofthe support is inflated by the excess pressure, such that the support110 is expanded radially beyond the dimensions of its inner frame. Theradial expansion of the support 110 stretches the tubular non-crimpfibre fabric 114 in the direction of the periphery of the support 110.At the same time, due to the fibres 116 which run diagonally around thesupport, the tubular non-crimp fibre fabric 114 has contracted in itslongitudinal direction up to a shortened length 119. In this respect,the tubular non-crimp fibre fabric 114 had initially been cut generouslysuch that it still completely covered the support surface even with itsshortened length.

In the illustrated expanded state of the support 110, the pressuremembrane presses the non-crimp fibre fabric 114 against the innersurface 108 of the moulding tool due to the excess pressure in the innerregion of the support 110. In a further step, the non-crimp fibrefabric, fixed in this manner, is infiltrated by a liquid, curable resinmatrix 115, for example in that the resin matrix is introduced from oneend of the moulding tool 102, as indicated by arrows, into the gapbetween the pressure membrane and the moulding tool 102.

The resin matrix is then cured, for example by a heat treatment. Theexcess pressure is discharged from the inner region of the support 110,so that the support 110 returns into its original, unexpanded state andcan easily be removed from the moulding tool 102. The finished fuselagebarrel section is removed from the moulding tool 102. Sections which aremoulded such that they taper towards one end are removed from themoulding tool 102, for example in the direction of the other end.Alternatively, the moulding tool 102 can be configured in two or moreparts, such that it can be opened for the finished section to beremoved.

A further embodiment of the production method will now be described inmore detail with reference to FIG. 2A-G. FIG. 2A-G are eachcross-sectional views of a detail of the periphery of the support 110for different steps of the method.

FIG. 2A shows the mentioned detail of the support 110 in a startingstate in which a non-crimp fibre fabric has not yet been arranged on thesupport surface 108 and the support 110 is outside the moulding tool102. The support 110 comprises a rigid support frame 111 with asubstantially circular cross section. The support frame 111 is formedfrom aluminium, for example and has on its surface a large number ofsmall holes for charging with vacuum and/or excess pressure, which havenot been shown here to improve clarity. A slot-like recess 210 isconfigured in one location of its periphery to later receive areinforcing element. The periphery of the support frame 111 is flattenedin an edge region 211 on both sides of the recess 210.

The surface of the support frame 111 is covered by a pressure membrane200 which extends over the entire lateral surface of the overallapproximately cylindrical support frame 111 and is connected to thesurface of the support frame 111 in a pressure-tight manner at the edgesof the lateral surface. An inner region 202 between the pressuremembrane 200 and the support frame 111 is therefore sealed off in apressure-tight manner from the exterior. The pressure membrane 200 isconfigured as a plastics material film, for example.

FIG. 2B shows a state of the support 110 of FIG. 2A after a vacuum pump204 has been connected to the interior 202 and has evacuated it via thefine holes 213 in the surface of the support frame 111, of which onlyone hole 213 is shown here by way of example. The vacuum in the interior202 tightly suctioned the pressure membrane against the support frame111. In particular, the pressure membrane follows the contour of thesupport frame 111 as far as into the recess 120.

In FIG. 2C, a reinforcing element 208 with a T-shaped profile, as usedfor example in aircraft construction as a so-called T-stringer, has beeninserted into the recess 120. The horizontal bar 209 of the T-shapedprofile rests inside the flattened area 211 against the support frame111 covered by the pressure membrane 200.

In FIG. 2D, the pressure membrane 200 has been covered by a tubularnon-crimp fibre fabric 114 consisting of carbon fibres. The outersurface 108 of the pressure membrane 200 acts as the support surface108, supporting the non-crimp fibre fabric 114, of the support 110. Thereinforcing element 208 is included between the support surface 108 andthe non-crimp fibre fabric 114 and is held in the recess 210. Since thehorizontal bar 209 of the T-shaped profile is also in a concealedposition inside the flattened area 111, the non-crimp fibre fabric 114does not have a bulge above the reinforcing element 208, but follows agentle curve.

FIG. 2E shows the support 110 which has been prepared in this manner andhas been charged with the reinforcing element 208 and the non-crimpfibre fabric 114, after it has been pushed into a tubular moulding tool102. The support 110 is smaller than the interior of the moulding tool102 and is configured corresponding to the shape of said moulding toolto the extent that a spacing 112 always remains between its supportsurface 108 and the surface 106 of the moulding tool. In other words,the support surface 108 and the mould surface 106 run parallel to oneanother in the spacing 112 in the illustrated state. On the other hand,the non-crimp fibre fabric 114 and the pressure membrane 200 as well asthe pressure membrane and the support frame 111 contact one another andare shown at a distance from one another in FIG. 2B-E merely for thesake of clarity.

FIG. 2F shows the support 110 arranged in the moulding tool 102 afterthe interior 202 between the support frame 111 and the pressure membrane200 has been connected to a compressor 205 and has been subjected toexcess pressure through the fine holes 203. The excess pressure hasinflated the pressure membrane 200 such that it has expanded in a radialdirection 212 as far as the surface 106 of the moulding tool 102. Boththe pressure membrane and the non-crimp fibre fabric have been stretchedby the expansion. The reinforcing element 208 and the non-crimp fibrefabric 114 have been guided by the expanding pressure membrane 200 tothe mould surface 106 and, in the illustrated state, are pressed againstthe mould surface 106 with uniform contact pressure provided by theexcess pressure. During the expansion procedure, the reinforcing element208 has been guided through the recess 120 in a radial direction 112and, in the illustrated state, is also still held in the recess 120, asin a guide slot, and is thus positioned precisely.

FIG. 2G shows the state after the space between the pressure membrane200 and the moulding tool 102 has been filled with a curable matrixsystem 115. The matrix 115 has infiltrated both the non-crimp fibrefabric 114 and the fibre material of the reinforcing element 208, asindicated by the hatching. The excess pressure in the inner region 202of the support 110 is maintained during the subsequent curing procedureby a heat treatment. The excess pressure is then discharged and thefinished fuselage barrel section 100 is removed from the moulding tool102.

FIG. 3A-D show another embodiment of the production method. The figuresare again each cross-sectional views of details of the periphery of thesupport 110 for different steps of the method.

FIG. 3A shows a state corresponding to FIG. 2B in which a pressuremembrane 200 has been arranged tightly along the surface of a supportframe 111, for example likewise by evacuating the interlying innerregion of the support. As in the above embodiment, a recess 120 for areinforcing element is configured in the support frame 111, said recesshaving here, however, the shape of a wide, trapezoidal trough.

In the state shown in FIG. 3B, a reinforcing element 208 which is formedfrom prepreg and has an Ω-shaped profile, a so-called Ω stringer hasbeen arranged in the recess 210. A cavity 304 to be configured in thefinished fuselage barrel section under the Ω-shaped profile of thestringer 208 is filled here by a placeholder 300 which is formed in thiscase by way of example from a membrane sheath 301 filled with compressedair. A tubular non-crimp fibre fabric 114 covers the support surface 108formed by the pressure membrane 200, the foot portion 306 of the Ωstringer and the outwardly facing side of the placeholder 300.

In the state shown in FIG. 3C, the support 110 prepared thus has beenarranged in a tubular moulding tool 102. An expansion spacing 112remains between the support surface 106 and the mould surface, as in theembodiment described above. In order to expand the support 110, itsinner region 202 is subjected to excess pressure and/or the intermediateregion 206 located between the pressure membrane 200 and the mouldingtool 102 is subjected to vacuum. In order to be able to guide the C)stringer 208 precisely in a radial direction 212 during the expansionprocedure, a guide pin 502 is anchored in the placeholder 300 at bothends of the C) stringer 208. Said guide pin slides in a radially 212running guide slot 302 which is recessed in a guide cover 500respectively fitted to the ends of the moulding tool 102.

FIG. 3D shows a state in which the pressure membrane presses the tubularnon-crimp fibre fabric 114 together with the Ω stringer 208 and theincluded placeholder 300 against the inner surface 106 of the mouldingtool 102 by the applied pressure differential between inner region 202and intermediate region 206. In subsequent steps, the non-crimp fibrefabric 114 and the Ω stringer 208 are jointly infiltrated by a resinmatrix and cured. In so doing, the introduced matrix and the resinmaterial contained in the prepreg of the Ω stringer 208 are combined.After a curing heat treatment, the excess pressure in the inner region202 and the vacuum in the intermediate region 206 are discharged and thecured fuselage barrel section is removed from the moulding tool 102.After the excess pressure in the interior of the placeholder 300 hasalso been released, said placeholder is removed below the Ω stringer 208in order to free its cavity 304.

Although the present invention has been presently described usingpreferred embodiments, it is not restricted thereto, but can be modifiedin many different ways.

For example, reinforcing elements of various other profiles can be used.It is possible to produce fuselage barrel sections and other tubularstructural components with complex, tapering cross sections, door andwindow openings.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   100 structural component-   102 moulding tool-   104 outer surface-   106 mould surface-   108 support surface-   110 support-   111 frame-   112 expansion spacing-   114 non-crimp fibre fabric-   115 matrix-   116 fibres-   118 length of the non-crimp fibre fabric before expansion-   119 length of the non-crimp fibre fabric after expansion-   200 pressure membrane-   202 inner region-   203 hole-   204 vacuum pump-   205 compressor-   206 intermediate region-   208 reinforcing element-   209 horizontal portion-   210 recess-   211 flattened area-   212 radial direction-   301 membrane sheath-   302 guide slot-   304 cavity-   306 foot portion-   500 guide cover-   502 guide pin

1. A device for producing a tubular structural component, the devicecomprising: a tubular moulding tool which has an inner mould surfaceshaped corresponding to an outer surface of the structural component; anexpandable support which is formed such that, in an unexpanded state, itfills the moulding tool while leaving an expansion spacing between asupport surface of the support and the mould surface, the expansionspacing amounting to 1 to 10 cm; and an expansion device configured toexpand the support such that when the support surface is covered with atubular non-crimp fibre fabric and when the support is arranged in themoulding tool, the support surface radially expands the non-crimp fibrefabric and presses it against the mould surface; wherein the non-crimpfibre fabric is configured to be infiltrated with a curable matrix. 2.The device according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises apressure membrane, the expansion device being configured to produce apressure differential between an inner region of the support and anintermediate region between the pressure membrane and the moulding tool.3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the expansion devicecomprises a compressor for increasing a pressure in the inner region ofthe support above atmospheric pressure.
 4. The device according to claim2, wherein the expansion device comprises a vacuum pump for reducing apressure in the intermediate region below atmospheric pressure.
 5. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises a recess forinserting a reinforcing element.
 6. The device according to claim 5,further comprising a guide for guiding the reinforcing element, duringthe expanding of the support, in a radial direction of the mouldingtools.
 7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the guide comprisesat least one guide cover for fitting to at least one end of the mouldingtool and/or of the support, the guide cover having a guide slot runningin a radial direction of the tubular moulding tool for guiding thereinforcing element.